"Who are you?"

The imperial legionnaire spoke to a nord man in front of him, pure white eyes with war paint the color of blood around his eyes and coming off of them like flames. He was a stoic but serious looking man, hard from war and life with the Stormcloaks. The imperial legionnaire was surrounded by other legionnaires who were ready and willing to cut down any man who would dare to run. They were dressed head to toe in legion armor of hard iron and red underlay, the armor was strong but the nord knew every weak spot to the armor like the back of his hand.

"Tharsten." The nord said as he ground his teeth in disgust,

"He's not on the list." The imperial said as he looked to his superior officer standing next to him.

"Doesn't matter Hadvar, he goes to the block." The woman had harshness about her and in her judgment but Tharsten did not care because he had already confessed to being a Stormcloak so he was ready to go to Hircine's hunting ground for the rest of eternity.

Hadvar, the imperial soldier before him, looked back at Tharsten with pity in his eyes but Tharsten didn't care for the imperial man because he would die hating imperials.

"I'll see your remains are sent to Whiterun." Hadvar hoped it gave the man some comfort but the man just raised his head and looked at Hadvar.

Hadvar felt like the man was looking into his soul with the eyes that were so pure it unnerved a seasoned soldier like himself. Tharsten turned his massive body away from Hadvar and walked over to get into the line for the headsman's block.

"Sovngarde awaits us Lynch." Tharsten looked to his blonde haired Stormcloak brother, Ralof.

"For you Ralof, you will see Sovngarde and revel in its glory." Ralof gave his friend a look and turned as a Priest of Arkay was interrupted by a Stormcloak wanting to get his execution over and done with.

The scythe fell downward and disconnected the Stormcloak's head from his body while the blood flowed onto the ground and on the block. Then a roar from the mountains, everyone stopped to look for the source but could find none.

"What was that?"

"Next!" The harsh female legionnaire yelled then came forward and pushed Tharsten forward.

He knew this was no way for him to die but it fitted him perfectly, the atrocities counted against him were numerous and he deserved no better than the headsman's block. He was pushed to his knees from behind and laid his head upon the bloody wooden block, facing towards the headsman instead of the head in the basket below. Another roar and the crowd of prisoners and legionnaires began to panic, that's when a creature of legend, a large black dragon landed upon the tower behind the executioner and the sky became dark. Screams of terror and panic erupted as everyone ran around trying to find cover from the mighty beast.

"TOOR SHUL!" Fire spewed from the dragons' mouth as the words came out and the fire burned houses and trading shops

He slowly began to sat up and heard the beast speak then begin to breathe fire, he rolled out of the way and was dragged into a nearby tower by Ralof.

"By the gods! Jarl Ulfric, is that a fabled dragon?" Ralof yelled as he leaned against a wall.

Lynch looked at Jarl Ulfirc and wiped a hand over his brow to remove the sweat there then; he ran his hand over his short hair and sighed.

"Fables aren't real, that is." Jarl Ulfric panted and looked up to Lynch, Ralof stood up straight and looked at Ulfric.

"Go up the tower; take Lynch with you and whoever else you may find. I will lead others out of this place another way." Ralof and Lynch bowed to Jarl Ulfric then began to climb up the tower stairs.

Lynch followed Ralof closely until both were stopped by the dragon breaking the side of the tower and breathing fire. When the dragon dislodged itself from the tower both Ralof and himself jumped into the open roof of the burning tavern, Lynch rolled onto the floor but sprung back up in seconds. He pulled Ralof to his feet and then jumped down into the first floor. Once they came out of the inn, the dragon attacked once more and the pair was separated.

"Prisoner! Over here! Follow me!" Lynch turned to see the imperial legionnaire, Hadvar, who had asked him his name earlier at the execution.

Lynch ran towards Hadvar then followed him past soldiers firing arrows at the dragon and avoiding flying debris that was on fire but Lynch kept up with the Hadvar until they reached the large stone fortress and its wooden doors. Ralof came running up but facing towards another door,

"Lynch, let us make our escape!" Lynch saw Ralof and Ralof motioned with his hand for Lynch to follow him.

"Ralof! You traitor!" Hadvar pointed at Ralof angrily but Ralof just shrugged him of, Lynch shook his head because he knew the past relationship between the two men.

"You will not be in our way of escaping this time!" Lynch looked at Hadvar then Ralof then chose to follow Ralof into the keep.

"Sovngarde take you then!" Hadvar yelled then went in another way into the keep then Ralof directed Lynch into the fortress and down into a storage room for weapons and armor.

"Let me cut your binds." Lynch held out his wrists then Ralof cut the binds from his hands and began to pace the room.

"What is the meaning of the dragon? Why now?" Ralof ran a hand through his hair then sighed.

"It doesn't matter what it means. We need to get out of here and make our way back to Windhelm were we will be safe." Lynch rubbed his raw wrists then began the task of looking for supplies in the barrels and cabinets.

After finding a few supplies that included wine and a few different foods which the pair could eat if they were hungry. They exited the room and came to a room with two dead stormcloaks,

"Might as well take their armor to protect ourselves." Lynch said as he had already begun to remove the armor from the dead men who would not need it any longer.

Lynch removed his prisoner's clothing and noticed Ralof staring at the two large discolored scars in the shape of an animal's claws running over his friend's broad chest. Lynch pulled the armor over his head and tightened the belts to fit his massive form then turned to his friend and gave him a glare. He then picked up a sword and handed Ralof one as well.

"Where'd you get those scars on your chest?" Ralof asked but was met with silence until they both heard voices coming towards the room at a fast pace.

Both men hid and attacked the three armored legionnaires who came wandering into the chamber. Ralof killed one legionnaire but Lynch was one step ahead of Ralof because he already killed a legionnaire as soon as he had entered the room and was seconds away from killing a second legionnaire. Ralof swung his sword at Lynch's attacker and killed him in one blow but was given a nasty glare from his companion

"I could have killed him without you." Lynch growled and Ralof just rolled his eyes, knowing that Lynch did not like anyone stealing a kill from him.

Lynch had always been very peculiar about his kills but Ralof always paid him no mind because Ralof did what he pleased. The two men ventured further into the fortress, gaining health potions and continued onward, fighting spiders and more imperial soldiers until they came upon a large cavern that had a bear on the other side of the cavern fast asleep.

"We could sneak up on the bear, take it unawares." Ralof whispered as they crouched behind a rock.

Lynch was scrunching his nose and smelling the air in the cavern, it smelled different like there was a hint of magic inside of this particular cavern. When he finally pinpointed the smell both him and Ralof watched a young Breton woman with flaming hands give a battle cry and pounce onto the bear, killing the bear in seconds with her flames.

"I'm not seeing a ghost right? That was a living person who just attacked that bear and killed it with fire." Lynch nodded and they both stood up to get a good look at the young woman who had just killed the black bear.

She flicked her right hand to the side as the fires died in her hands then she turned to look at the men; she had seen them come in but hid in the shadows away from their prying eyes, especially the tall nord who had white eyes like hers. He was slightly taller and had a bigger build than his blonde haired companion; he was intimidating to say the least and it had her staring directly at him since just looking at him made her feel hot all over. The blonde hair man was glaring at her, he spat at the ground and he put her hand on her hip and glared back at him,

"Never seen a mage, nord? Or am I the first to steal a kill from you?" Lynch smirked at the woman; she clearly had the courage to face down a man bigger than herself who could easily over power her in mere seconds.

"I would have no problem with you taking my kill if you were a warrior of the sword or bow." Ralof said as both he and Lynch moved towards the woman.

She stood her ground and watched the two men approach; she found that the bigger nord had white eyes like herself but red war paint went around his eyes but fanned out slightly to look like flames. He had his hair cut close to his head which was highly unusual for any nord because in her opinion they loved having long hair. Lynch took this time to look at the woman; she looked plain to his eyes. Her brown hair was cut to below her ears and it fluffed out gently but her white eyes caught him off guard, her eyes mimicked his which made him wonder how he was even born with the same eyes. Her hips were not small but not wide and her breasts held a decent weight to them but he preferred his women who had breasts the size of large gourds. This woman packed a punch with her magic and he respected her for her ability to kill an adult bear in seconds with naught but fire from her hands. There was more to this plain looking woman than what Lynch's eyes were seeing, it intrigued him and made him feel a pull towards this plain looking Breton woman.

"What are you called woman? I am Lynch and this is my companion Ralof." Lynch asked and noticed the change in her smell once more when she turned to speak to him, the smell of arousal was driving his sense crazy.

"I am Evangeline." Evangeline looked at Ralof with such disdain but looked at Lynch with an indifferent look.

"I hear there is a dragon wreaking havoc above the keep." Evangeline pointed at the cavern ceiling then looked towards the exit tunnel.

"We are escaping this place; it seems you are as well. You can follow us to Riverwood, if you would like." Lynch was elbowed in the side by Ralof which made Lynch look at his companion.

"I am, the imperials locked me in one of the lower cells reserved for mages who decide they don't like filthy imperials trying to grope their bosoms." Lynch let out a laugh but Evangeline seemed to have a deep hatred for imperial soldiers that was more than just a simple grope.

"I hope you find your way out mage but we have to get to Windhelm as soon as possible." Ralof knew better than to try and force Lynch to come with him but he hoped the Lynch would follow.

"We could use your magic if you are willing to lend us a hand." Ralof groaned at Lynch's request to the mage.

Evangeline smiled at Lynch and he swore his blood started to turn to fire,

"I'll help you but not that ungrateful barbarian." Lynch couldn't help but smile at her humor; she was beginning to like this woman.

"Ungrateful! Why you Breton—" Lynch grabbed Ralof with strength Ralof was unaccustomed to feeling from Lynch so, he stopped in his tracks and saw a look in Lynch's eyes that told him leave her alone or you have to deal with me.

Ralof had never seen Lynch defend anyone before so this gave Ralof a warning to keep this woman out of any conversation in the near future. Evangeline followed them through the cavern opening and she seemed to breathe a lot easier now that she was out of the cavern and could see the sky once more.

"I plan on going to Riverwood to stay with my sister for a few days. Are you going to come and stay with them as well Lynch?" Ralof didn't even bother to ask the Breton mage because he knew his sister would not appreciate a woman who was not nord staying in her house.

Lynch knew Gerdur would not allow Evangeline in her home; his eyes darted to the mage who was currently examining flowers on ground near them.

"You can go along with him; it will not hurt my feelings. I am sure I can survive out here on my own." Evangeline stood up straight and dusted her robes from the knees down free of dirt and snow.

"Have a safe journey then Evangeline." She gave him a small smile.

Lynch liked the stubborn and proud woman before him, she had every quality of a nord woman but she was Breton instead. He was curious to learn more about this woman and he knew he would be thinking of ways to make conversation with her when he saw her next.

"I hope we will see each other again Lynch." The way she said his name with such a heavy amount of arousal made him hard with want and that's when he felt something he had not felt in years come out and make him growl.

The Wolf.

I'm putting another story out, why you ask? Because I had a dream about it and said to myself: "Nan, you better write this or you will regret it." So, here I am writing it. Don't worry about Howling at the Moon because it is coming along (I'm giving it time to simmer.) As always, Read and Review so I can see how I'm doing with it and how yinz feel about it.